The next time golf sensation Michelle Wie sends the ball orbiting deep down the fairway or kneels for a close-up scrutiny of a putting green's terrain at Bighorn Golf Club's Canyons Course in Palm Desert, she can do so in the absence of a crowd. Perhaps she will take her first swing off the first tee in the stillness of an early morning — greeted only by the sun rising above the Santa Rosa Mountains.

The course where this 16-year-old made her pro debut last October during the Samsung World Championship feels like home — now more than ever. That's because her family bought a second home at Bighorn for an

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All of this is possible because Wie turned pro and could finally accept prize money and sponsorship dollars. Nike swooped in and signed her to a sweet-16 contract estimated at more than $10 million. Michelle pocketed her first LPGA paycheck totaling $73,227 late February by finishing third at the Fields Open at Kapolei, Hawaii.

e fell in love with Bighorn during her first visit two years ago at the Samsung 2004," says B.J. Wie, Michelle's father, during a telephone conversation as he drove her to Punahou High School in Honolulu, where she is a junior. "Palm Desert has the best weather October to April, and we love the great restaurants and shopping that are just a five-minute drive down the street from Bighorn." A protective father, B.J. Wie knows that the gallery of fans continues to grow with each appearance by his daughter, who has competed in PGA and LPGA events. He spoke of the need to provide crowd-free places for her to hone her golf game.

Michelle Wie at a glance Born Oct 11, 1989, in Honolulu, Hawaii A nearly straight-A junior at Punahou High School, tackling pre-calculus, chemistry, and Japanese classes Parents: Bo and B.J. Wie Preteen golf success: Became the youngest player to qualify for an LPGA tournament by qualifying in the LPGA Takefuji Classic at age 12 Best LPGA finish: second at the Havre de Grace in Maryland at age 15 Pro debut: At age 16 at the Samsung World Championship in Bighorn last October First pro paycheck: $73,227 for third place at the LPGA's Fields Open at Kapolei, Hawaii, in late February

At the Samsung event at Bighorn last year, crowds shadowing Michelle surpassed in size those following Annika Sorenstam, LPGA's top golfer, who successfully defended her title. Sorenstam also owns property at Bighorn, as does LPGA great Se Ri Pak.

"We are impressed by how tight security is at Bighorn," says B.J. Wie, a professor at the University of Hawaii. "At Bighorn, members respect the privacy of other members. That is why this is such a great place for Michelle to be able to practice in a quiet atmosphere and truly concentrate on the physical and mental aspects of her game."

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"A former FBI director runs our department of privacy," says Theresa Maggio, director of marketing at Bighorn. "Donald Trump happily shared his story on National Public Radio and said how even he couldn't get in because you must own property here or be invited by a member to play here. That's our policy. We have lots of fantastically successful people who live here — celebrities and self-starting entrepreneurs who want to come here, escape the public spotlight, and enjoy the privacy we offer."

Don't feel too sorry for The Donald. He did eventually garner an invitation to play golf from R.D. Hubbard, Bighorn's chairman.

Hubbard also welcomes Bighorn's newest neighbors — the Wies.

"We are honored to have Michelle and her family at Bighorn," he says. "They are a championship family working so hard to achieve Michelle's goals, not unlike the members here at our club."

Bighorn residents also include PGA Tour Champion Jim Colbert, who said recently, "The level of excellence I have encountered at Bighorn is incredible. From the professional golf staff to the competitive courses, Bighorn continually draws me home for the fun and the thrill of the game."

The hush-hush policy at Bighorn explains why the local media and national press were clueless that George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and the rest of the gang from Ocean's Twelve relaxed for a weekend of golf and fun — compliments of their producer, Jerry Weintraub, a Bighorn resident — until two weeks after they departed last November.

Quick Facts
About Bighorn Golf Club Located in Palm Desert at the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains.
Features customized multimillion-dollar homes with 360-degree panoramic views.
Home to two championship par-72 golf courses. The Tom Fazio-designed Canyons Course has served as the site for the Samsung World Championship. The Arthur Hills-designed Mountains course has been the site for the PGA Tour's Skins Games.

As for the Wies, they have already met a few Bighorn neighbors, including tennis legend Pete Sampras and Hollywood's star power couple, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.

"Pete loves playing golf, and he knows what Michelle is going through by being so talented so young," says B.J. Wie. "Michelle had a long conversation with him, and she looks forward to playing golf with him. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell are a very nice couple. It feels great to have famous people as neighbors."